Rolling eyes for dolls



p s. MARCUS ET AL 1,727,477

ROLLING EYES FOR DOLLS Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Jamaa Mama/J al llexanderffanofi A T T ORNEYS.

p 10, 1 290 s. MARcUs ET AL 1,727,477

RCLLING EYES FOR DOLLS Filed Aug. 31. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Jamuel Mural/S By lexa/zder jfonoff 9 M m ATTORNEYS. 7

Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES FPATENTJOVFFICE.

SAMUEL MARCUS, or BROOKLYN, AND ALEXANDER Ko oFr, or NEw'YonK, 1\T.'Y.',

ASSIGNORS TO MARKON MANUFACTURING 00., 1110., or NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

ROLLING EYES FOR DOLLS.

Application filed August 31, 1927. Serial No. 216,530.

This invention relates to an improvement in doll eye sets, and particularly to eye sets of the so-called rolling type, that is eye sets in which the eyes are adapted not only'to os- 5 cillate relatively intoopened andclosed positions but in which the eyes also roll from side to side when the doll is tilted one way or the other.

An object'of the present invention is to pro- ;1 vide an eye setof the type indicated and which is of simple and inexpensive construction while maintaining all of the essential features of adjustment enabling the eyes of the set to be brought into appropriate regis- 1 ter with the eye openings of a doll head.

A further detailed object is to improve the arrangement of parts by which the eyes are supported, to the end that the eyes may be more accurately positioned within the sockets of the head notwithstanding inaccuracies in parts of the eye set. I

A further detailed object is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby the eyes may be easily connected in adjusted relationship upon their supporting cross rod.

A further detailed object is to so arrange the parts as to avoidnecessity for objectionable cutting away ofany part of the eye shells to facilitate the rolling movements of the eyes.

A further detailed object is to provide improved means facilitating a substantially universal adjustmentof the iris carrying portions of the two eye shells with respect to each other.

A further detailed object is to provide an improved form and arrangement of gravity control device for the eyes.

Other objectsand aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and

in which we have shownmerely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:,

Fig. l is a rearelevational view of an eye set constructed in accordance with this invention, the same being shown in association with a doll head illustrated in vertical sec tion.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the planeof line IIII of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken subsiqtantially upon the plane of line III-'III of Fig. .tis an enlarged rear elevationalview of one of the eyes shown inthe receding figures and illustrating a modilibd form thereof. 7

I Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken ipbstantially upon the plane of line VV of Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line VIVI ofFig. 4, and I I Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to that seen in Fig. 6 but illustrating a further modified construction of the eye shell.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure illustrated therein, the reference character L indicates a doll head or the like, the same being hollow and having so the spaced eye sockets 1 and 2 at opposite sides of the central or nose port-ion 3, all as usual. 1

The reference character G indicates a suitable form of bracketor supporting member by means of which the eye set is intended to be connected with the inner surface of the head. This bracket or supporting member may take any desired form but is preferably of the general type as indicated in the pending applicationof Alexander Konoif, Serial No. 141,943, in that it consists of a body portion 4 which extends horizontally across the head at the rear of the two eye sockets and carries a pair of attaching members .5 and 6 slidable into and out of retaining engagement with the side walls of the head. A pair of arms as 7 and 8 extend forwardly fromthe body to rotatably support the cross rod H.

The arms 7 and 8 as herein illustrated are spaced further apart than in the structure illustrated in the pending application referred to so as to engage the cross rod nearer to the centres of the respective eyes 9 and 10, being preferably disposed to engage the cross rod within the hollows of the eyes so as thus to more directly and accurately support the in dividual eyes.

The cross rod H ext-ends between the arms 7 and 8 and has its opposite end portions as 11 and 12 rotatably mounted within suitable bearing openings as 13 and 1d of the arms 7 and 8. The mid portion as 15 of the cross rod is offset baclrwardly toward the body 1 of the supporting member so as to provide clearance as at the points 16 and 17 for the marginaledges of the eyes 9 and 10 and permit a suitable degree of rolling motion of said eyes without necesity for the side notches usually provided theretofore in eyes of this type for clearing the cross rod, it being noted that theend portions 11 and 12 are disposed in substantial axial alignment with each other and intersect the spherical centres of the eyes.

The eyes 9 and 10 are connected with the cros's'rod by means of connector members as 18 and 19 respectively. These are identical in the two eyes and a description of one will apply to both, viz An elongated piece of material, preferably metal, having a central cir cular opening as 20through which the cross rod extends, and the material being provided with slits as 21 and 22 extending longitudinal- 1y thereof communicating with the opening 20 at opposite sic es.

The slits at their outer ends terminate short of the ends of the piece of material, and the opening 20 is normally of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the cross rod so that when the cross rod is 1 the cross red.

sarin character to iermit'the bowin of the halves 23 and 24 and to generate the spring gr'p mentioned. I

In order to facilitate the forced entry of the cross rod into the opening 20 the end of the cross rod is preferably tapered to a coneshape as at 25; Theconnector-member is thus made to have a firm frictional grip upon the cross rod of a character which while efficiently retaining the connector member in any position to which it is forced will nevertheless permit ready manual adjustment of the connector member 'eitherrotatably about the cross rod or slidably along the length of the cross rod. The structure of the connector member as thus far-described is similar to that shown and described in the application of Samuel Marcus, Serial No. 215,566.

At its upper and lower ends the connector member is formed with pivot extensions as 26 and 27 by which the eye is mounted, and intermediate its ends there is provided a bendable extension 28 serving as a stop to limit the rolling movement of the eyes.

As suggested in Figs. 1 to 3 the eyes may consist each of an inner shell as 29 and an outer shell as 30. The inner shell may be of appropriate material such as sheet metal bent into semispherical contour, and the outer shell may be of suitable material such as celluloid or the like formed of semispherical contour fitting closely about the outer surface of the inner shell. The outer shell would of course contain the pictorial representation of an iris in the usual manner; 7

The inner shell may be provided with diametricallyopposite bearing openings 31 and 32 fitting upon the pivot extensions 26 and 27' i of the connector member so that the inner shell is pivotally connected with said connector member on a substantially vertical axis transversely of the cross rod'to facilitate the so-called rolling movement ofthe eye, and it may have apair of stops as 33 and 34 struck inwardly thereof at suitable points for cooperating with the stop 28 inlimiting the rolling movement of the eye, it being here noted that by adjustably bending the'stop 28 to one side or the other the opposite limits of rolling motion are adjustably determined, the adjustment being efiected simply by forcefully pressing one or the other of the stops 33 or 34' against the stop 28 until the desired extent of bending movement has been accom plished.

, The outer shell may also have bearing openings as 35'and 36 therethrough, mating bearings 31 and 32 of the inner shell for receiving the pivot portions 26 and 27 of the connector member whereby to hold the outer shell positively connected in position while at the same time permitting such adjustment of the outer shell rotatively upon the pivots 26 and 27' as may be desired, there being of course suflicient frictional contact between the two shells at all times to prevent any movement of the outer shell relative to the inner shell except when positive adjusting force is applied by an operator.

Both the inner and outer shells are of suit ably flexible material to permit them to be manually distorted to an extent suffieient to enable the extensions 26-27 to be snapped into the bearing openings 31, 32, 35 and 36.

The inner shell has connected therewith, preferably as an integral extension from its lower marginal edge, a weight carrying arm as 37. These arms, from the two eyes, continue downwardly and inwardly and are suitably connected together and weighted at their lower ends.

In the instance illustrated the arms are inclined toward each other and have bearing openings as 38 at their lower ends Within which engage pivot extensions as 39 from opposite sides of a centrally disposed weight 40. The Weight 40 as illustrated consists simply of a piece of sheet material of suitable heft folded upon itselfto provide a pair of jaws as 41 and 42 between which is gripped a short horizontally disposed length of wire the opposite ends of which continue beyond the opposite sides of the weight and are bent to provide the necessary pivotal connection for the pivot bearings 38.

At a suitable point in each arm 37, preferably near to the eyes, said arms arecut 4 away as at 43-43 so as to reduce the strength of the arms in that particular locality and thus facilitate a localized and relatively easy point of bend for said arms by reason of which the eyes may be manually rotatably adjusted with respect to each other upon their vertical pivots, as well as upon the cross rod.

Fixed to the cross rod H, preferably at a point midway in its length, is a pair of bumper arms as 44 and 45 one extending below the cross rod adapted for engaging asurface portion as 46 of the doll head to limit opening movement of the eyes and the other extending above the cross rod adapted for engaging a surface portion as 47 of the doll head to limit closing movement of the eyes. These two bumper arms may consist of a single length of spring wire rigidly connected intermediate its length with the cross rod, as by welding,

' the portions of the wire extending above and below the cross rod thus affording spring bumpers as indicated. I

From the above it will be understood that whenever the doll is moved from an upright to a reclining position the weight 40, controlled by gravity, will move relatively to cause the eyes, with the cross rod, torotate within the bearing openings of the supporting arms 7 and 8 between open and closed positions, while either simultaneous or independent sidewise tilting of the doll will cause the weight to move relatively from side to side and produce an oscillatory or rolling movement of the eyes upon the pivot extensions 2627 of the connector members 18 and 19.

If for any reason, when assembling the eye set with the doll head, it is desired to rotatably adjust the eyes independently of each other upon the pivots 264-27 this may be readily accomplished by either or both shifting the outer eye shell 30 about the inner eye shell 29 or bending one or both of the arms 37 at the weakened points 43, it being pointed out that in the former instance the adjustment is independent of the position of the stops 28, 33 and 34 while in the latter instance the adjustment is tempered by the position of said stops one of which, as 28, is bendable, as above described, for nicetyof adjustment.

The eyes may alsobe adjustably moved relatively to each other either rotatably or longitudinally of thecross rod as fully set forth, and the bending of the arms .37 at the weakened points 43 may facilitate these adjustments if found necessary. 7

The arms 37, besides being bendable to faoilitate adjustment of the eyes as heretofore referred to, are also bendable, at the weakened points 43, or elsewhere, forwardly or backwardly to dispose the weight 40 at the most desirable and efficient locality with respect to the vertical plane of the axial centre of the cross rod, as will be readily understood;

In the structure illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it is suggested that if desired the inner shell as 48 of'the eye may be provided with suitable slits or the like as 4949 to gers 505O collectively defining the moss sary semispherical base or support for the outer shell 30. The outer shell will of course I with relatively inset parts as 53 and 54 which are provided with bearing openings 55 and 56 to receive the pivot'extensions 51 and 52. y

The weight carrying arm as 57 is shownas continuing from the inset part 54 of the inner shell and as being thus spaced inwardly from the lower edge of the outer shell as at 58 a sufficient distance to provide a desirable amount of adjusting movement of the two shells with respect to each other without necessityfor cutting away any partof the outer shell to accommodate the weight arm.

It will be understood of course that the inner shell is normally of a slightly greater di' ameter than the inner'surface of the outer shell and that'the application of the outer shell onto the inner shell will produce such a crowding of the spring fingers comprised in the inner shell as to generate the frictional grip necessary to retain the two shells adjustably connected together. Each of the shells is slightly more than half a sphere so as to avoid tendency for the outer shell to be discharged from its enveloping position.

In this structure it'is suggested also that the cross rod may if desired be provided with a return bend as 59 disposing the central por- I tion of the cross rod in the same axial plane as the end portionsof said rod. By this arrangement therod may be supported by its mid portion if desired, in a bracketsuch for head.

' any movement of the outer and intermediate instance as that indicated in' the: copending application Serial No.--1 l1,'9t3 above mentioned, while yet affording ample clearance as at 60 for the rolling movementof the-eye;

By the structure shown in hese figures it will be apparent that the iris carrying-portion of the eye, in addition to having the various features of adjustment longitudinally of the cross rod, rotatably of thecross rod and rotatably of the pivot extensions 26 and 27 of the connector members, as 'in the previous figures, is also, by reason of its universal mounting upon the inner shell, capable of equally easy adjustment about a horizontal axis transversely of the cross rod, which latter adjustment is of considerable importance particularly in instances where eye lashes are connected. with the outer shells and must'be brought into proper operating register and alignment with the eye openings of the doll In the structure illustrated in Fig. 7 it is suggested that the inner shell as 51 may be of the same construction as the inner shell 48 of Figs. e to 6 and that the outer shell as'tiiZ, instead of fitting directly to the inner shell, may be fitted about an intermediate shell as 63, being either rigidly connected with said intermediate shell or friction'ally adjustable thereabout as may be preferred, and the intermediate shellin turn being tted about the inner shell 61' and having'bearing apertures as 64 and 65 mating the bearing apertures 55 and 56 of the inner shell and pivotally engaging the extensions 51 and 52 of the connector member. 1 7

By this arrangement it will be seen tha both the inner shell and the intermediate shell are positively pivotally connected with the connector member somewhat atter the manner supggested in the structure Figs. 1 to 3, these two'shells having such frictional engagement with each other as to prevent their unintentional movement with respect to each other but yet enabling an adjustingmovement of the shells with respect to each other about the pivots 51- and 52. In instances where the outer shell 62 is rigidly connected with the intermediate shell the outer shell will of course have no adjusting movement about a horizontal axis transversely of the cross red as in the structure Figs4- to 6, but such an adjusting movement is however provided for in instances where the outer shell is either universally adjustable about the intermediate shell or rotatably connected with the intermediate shell as for example if the outer shell be formed withan inturned flange as 66 at its rear edge overlapping the rear edge of the intermediate shell and thus preventing shells except a rotary'movement which is upon a horizontal axis transversely of the cross rod. Y

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended'that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limit: ing sense. 7 V I Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is v i I V 1. In an eye set, a connector member by which to connect an eye to its supporting member, said connector member comprising an elongated piece of springy material having an opening formed therethrough at onepoint in its length intended to receive the supporting member: forced thereinto, said piece of springy material being formed with a slit extending longitudinally thereof communicating with said opening whereby to render opposite wall partsof the opening resilient with respectto each other to thus provide a spring grip of said wall parts upon said supporting member to thus'enable manual adjustment of the connector member upon the supporting member, and pivot parts provideduponthe connector member by which to pivotally connect the eye thereto.

2. In an eye set, a pair of semispherical eye shells, a supporting member extending between said eye shells, connector members for connecting the eye shells respectively to the supporting member, said connector members each comprising springy parts providing a spring grip of the connector member upon the supporting member allowing manual adjustment of the connector member rotatably and longitudinally of the supporting member, each connector member having pivot parts by which the respective eye shells are pivotally connected thereto, and each eonnector member and its respective eye shell having parts co-operative to limit pivotal movement of the eye shells upon said pivot parts, said co-operative parts comprising spaced stops provided upon the eye shell and an extension of the connector member disposed intermediate said stops and said extension being manually bendable to facilitate adjustment of the limits of the pivotal movement of the eye shell.

3. In an eye set, a pair of semispherical eye shells, a supporting member extending between said eye shells, connector members one for connectingthe eye shells respectivelyto the supporting member, said connector members each comprising springy parts providing a sprlng grip of the connector member upon nector member having an adjustable extension protruding therefrom, and the adjacent eye shell having parts co-operative with said extension to thereby adjustably limit the pivotal movement oi? the eye shell upon said pivot parts.

4. An eye set comprising a supporting carrier having parts by which to rigidly connect it with a doll head, a pair of eye shells spaced apart, a supporting cross rod extending between said eye shells, bearing parts provided upon the supporting carrier spaced apart and p'ivotally engaging the cross red one within the hollow of each eye shell, a stop member fixed to the cross rod intermediate the eye shells adapted to engage parts of the doll head for limiting pivotal movement of the cross rod in said bearing parts, connector members one for each eye shell having pivotal connection with the eye shells respectively providing easy pivotal movement of the eyes upon vertical axes transversely of the cross rod, and said connector members having spring parts arranged to provide a spring grip of the connector members upon the cross rod insuring pivotal movement of the eye shells with the cross rod and permitting manual rotary and sliding adjustment of the eye shells upon the cross rod, together with gravity acting means by which to cause pivotal movement of the cross rod and eyes in the bearing parts of the supporting carrier.

5. In an eye set comprising a pair of hollow eye shells spaced apart, a cross rod extending between said eye shells, means engaging the cross rod within the hollows of said eye shells by which said eye shells are pivotally connected with the cross rod to swing upon vertical axes transversely of the cross rod, and gravity means for controlling movements of the eye shells, the combination therewith of a supporting carrier having means by which to connect it with a doll head and having bearing parts extending therefrom into the hollows of the eye shells respectively for there engaging the cross rod to pivotally support the cross rod.

6. In an eye set comprising a pair of hollow eye shells spaced apart, a cross rod ex tending between said eye shells, means engaging the cross rod within the hollows of said eye shells by which said eye shells are pivotally connected with the cross rod to swing upon vertical axes transversely of the cross rod, and gravity means for controlling movements of the eye shells, the combination therewith of a supporting carrier consisting of an elongated body arranged rearwardly of the cross rod and extending substantially parallel therewith, means at the opposite ends of said body adapted to engage portions of the doll head adjacent the eye shells respectively to thereby fix the body to the doll head, arms provided upon the body projecting forwardly from adjacent the opposite ends thereof,

said arms having bearing openings there-', through disposed within the hollows of the respective eye shells and there receiving the opposite endportions of the cross rodto pivotally support the cross rod for oscillatory movement upon a horizontal axis.

7. In aneye set, the combination of a pair of eye shells spaced apart, connector mem-' bers by which said eye shells are pivotally,

the eye shells, and gravity means foractuating the eye shells. p

8. In an eye set, the combination of a pair of eye shells spaced apart, connector members by which said eye shells are pivotally mount ed to swing upon vertica'l axes, a cross rod extending between the eyeshells being connectcd therewith by means of said connector members and having an oil-set part to provide clearance for the mentioned pivotal movement of the eye shells, the connector members having frictional engagement with the cross rod wherebythe eye shells are rotatably and slidably adjustable upon the cross rod, .a common supporting carrier having parts by which it is fixed to the dolls'head and other parts en gaging the cross rod within the eye shells to provide pivotal mounting for the cross rod whereby the cross rod is oscillatable upon a horizontal axis intersecting the spherical centres of the eye shells, and gravitymeans for actuating the eye shells.

9. In an eye set comprising a pair of eye shells spaced apart, and gravity control means for said eye shells, the combination therewith of a cross rod extending between said eye shells, said cross rod having opposite end portions disposed in axial alignment and intersecting the spherical centres of the eye shells, connector v I aligned end portions by which the eye shells are pivotally connected with said end pormembers mounted, upon said" tions to swing u on vertical axes transverse comprising a length of wire having opposite end portions disposed in alignment adapted to intersect the spherical centres of the two eyes of an eye set and to have connector mem bers mounted thereon by which the eyes may be pivotally connected therewith to swing upon vertical axes transverse to the length of the cross rod, said aligned end portions providing also parts to engage withinpivot bearings by which the cross rod may be pivotally supported to swing upon a horizontal axis, and the portion of the cross rod intermediate. said aligned end portions being oil-set with respect to said aligned end portions to thereby provide clearance for the swinging movement of the eyes about the mentioned vertical axes.

11. An eye set comprising a pair of semispherical eye shells spaced apart, supporting means for said eye shells providing pivotal mounting by which the eye shells are adapted to oscillate upon both vertical and horizontal axes, gravity means for so oscillating said eyes, each of said eyes comprising a pair of vseparate seniispherical shells nested together and adjustably movable with respect to each other, and the part of said supporting means supporting means and the inner shell of each eye for limiting the gravity movement of the eye in said opposite directions.

13. In an eye set, a pair of eyes spaced apart, supporting means forithe eyes by which the eyes are pivotally mounted to swing upon vertical axes transverse toa straight line between said eyes, gravity means for so swinging said eyes, each of said eyes comprising a pair of separate semispherical shells nested together having aligned bearing openings therethrough, means interengaging between the supporting means and the inner shell of each eye for limiting the gravity movement of the eye,

and the pivotal connection between the re spective eyes andtheir supporting eluding pivot parts of the supporting means engaging within said aligned openings of the two shells serving thereby topositively connect said shells together.

14. In an eye set, the combination of a pair of eye shells spaced apart, a rotatable cross rod extending between said eye shells, conmeans inmam-2'7 necting members bywhichsaid eye shells are I connected to the opposite end portions of the cross rod to rotate therewith, the end portions of the cross rod extending in axial alignment with each other and intersecting the spherical centres of the eye shells, the connecting members and the end portions of the cross rod being constructed to provide independent manual adjustment of the respective eye shells about the end portions of the cross rod, a support for the cross rod engaging said aligned end portions to rotatably support the cross-rod, gravity acting means to rotate the cross rod and eye shells, and the portion of the cross rod intermediate the aligned end portions thereof being ofi-set and provided with stops to limit rotary movement of the cross rod and eyes.

In testimony whereof we aifixour signa tures.

SAMUEL MARCUS. ALEXANDER KONOFF. 

